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Sunday, June 22, 2014

The Pitfalls of a Promotion

You've just been promoted -
Congratulations! It is an awesome feeling to know that all your hard work is
paying off! You have been acknowledged that you have what it takes to climb the
corporate ladder. Guess what? Now it starts all over -
planning, learning, performing, navigating, strategizing and
delivering results, just at a higher level.

You have to learn quickly
what is expected, what to start, stop, and change. There are no rules to
gauge the things you should know, need to know, and have to know. What you
can do, however, is learn what to look for, diagnose the problem, and implement
the solution - as soon as possible. Here are some common mistakes newly
promoted managers make:Role ConfusionOne of the major pitfalls
managers find themselves in is still doing the job they just vacated. You must
plan to transition those tasks to other employees, and the main objective is to
make the transition and stop doing them. Too often the thing we do so
well gets us promoted, but we neglect to let go of those tasks and identify the
more strategic role that we should be performing. In other situations,
managers later realize they enjoyed the more tactical tasks and would rather
continue to do that instead of what is really required at the next level. If
having "control" is really the culprit and not that you are confused
about what you should be doing, then figure out how else you can get the info
you need instead of doing the task. Getting out of the minutiae makes you look
less like a manager and more like a leader. Lack of VisionIt's important to have a
vision to share with your team for where you want to lead the department.
Employees need to know the vision, strategy, priorities, and expectations for
moving forward. When you fail to give them this information, you can appear to
be an ineffective leader. Your staff depends on you to be in sync with
the organization, and help provide direction for where the business is
heading. Make sure you understand the overall goals for the organization,
and then communicate in a meaningful way your employees can grasp. One way to
gain buy-in is by creating a strategy session and allowing your team to help
create the process for how the department will move forward. A little buy-in
goes a long way towards getting people to see and support the vision.Not Severing TiesThere are times when
certain relationships are helpful and other times when they are not. Knowing
which ties and when to severe is a rather precarious situation to be in but a
necessary requirement for leading effectively. It's important that you
are transparent and above the ethical line because a promotion can
significantly change relationship dynamics. What once appeared innocent
can now look like favoritism or even inappropriate. If you have been promoted
to manage your peers, have a conversation with those you are close to and
explain how your relationship will change now that you are the manager. While
you can still be friends outside of work, you will need respect in your
position and to be the authority in your role. Choose carefully how you engage
with employees at all levels and never let a title determine who gets your time
or respect.Not Level SettingIf you are leading a new
intact team, or a newly assembled team, chances are you don't know their
individual strengths and weaknesses. Just as important, you will need to
outline out the standards and expectations everyone should abide by in order to
manage effectively. Some managers make the mistake of not taking the approach
of level setting and can encounter a few problems that make it challenging to
make progress. To the staff, it may feel like business as usual, and as
the leader, because you have not set the tone for the rules of engagement, this
alone can make you work harder than you need to. Take this opportunity to get
to know your team as individuals and then set a standard that everyone must
strive towards. The worst that can happen is attrition due to those who don't
want to be apart of the vision - and that's a good thing!You were rewarded because you
worked hard, overcame obstacles, delivered results, and made a positive impact
in your organization. Your promotion is a continuation of the example you have
set, and now you are on a new playing field. Figure out quickly what you don't
know, what the new rules are, and where to go for the answers.

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About Me

Completed my bachelor and master degrees while working a full-time job in a 24x7 operations environment. It was there that I discovered my passion is professional development and helping others excel on their career path. I believe we all have a responsibility to further the good in the world by illustrating to others that their power lies within too.